I hear you about the CYA paperwork mentality, it does seem a bit much and has uncertain (unproven?) value if any sort of legal trouble arises for a disp.

In my field (construction) it's all about the paperwork - and most of it is BS too, because if someone fvcks up and somebody gets hurt, a piece of paper with a sig is not going to mean a crap to a judge if it's proven that someone did not do their job correctly. But i digress.

BTY, I'm from the brat side of the service. My dad did 25 army artillery and then retired, although he is still in a "defense" job - helping to make shit that kills people.